The Analyst Landscape: 43 Takes On Meta Platforms

In the last three months, 43 analysts have published ratings on Meta Platforms META, offering a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish.

The table below offers a condensed view of their recent ratings, showcasing the changing sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.

Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish
Total Ratings 18 24 1 0 0
Last 30D 1 4 0 0 0
1M Ago 2 2 0 0 0
2M Ago 13 13 1 0 0
3M Ago 2 5 0 0 0

Analysts have set 12-month price targets for Meta Platforms, revealing an average target of $591.0, a high estimate of $660.00, and a low estimate of $475.00. This current average has increased by 7.55% from the previous average price target of $549.50.

price target chart

Exploring Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Overview

In examining recent analyst actions, we gain insights into how financial experts perceive Meta Platforms. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.

Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target
Justin Post B of A Securities Raises Buy $630.00 $563.00
Doug Anmuth JP Morgan Raises Overweight $640.00 $610.00
Andrew Boone JMP Securities Raises Market Outperform $635.00 $550.00
Scott Devitt Wedbush Maintains Outperform $600.00 $600.00
Colin Sebastian Baird Raises Outperform $605.00 $530.00
Deepak Mathivanan Cantor Fitzgerald Maintains Overweight $660.00 $660.00
Ronald Josey Citigroup Raises Buy $645.00 $580.00
Gil Luria DA Davidson Announces Buy $600.00 -
Deepak Mathivanan Cantor Fitzgerald Announces Overweight $660.00 -
Ivan Feinseth Tigress Financial Raises Strong Buy $645.00 $575.00
Rob Sanderson Loop Capital Raises Buy $575.00 $550.00
Andrew Boone JMP Securities Raises Market Outperform $550.00 $525.00
Michael Morris Guggenheim Raises Buy $600.00 $500.00
Benjamin Black Deutsche Bank Raises Buy $585.00 $525.00
Justin Patterson Keybanc Raises Overweight $560.00 $540.00
Rohit Kulkarni Roth MKM Raises Buy $550.00 $510.00
Ross Sandler Barclays Raises Overweight $550.00 $520.00
Brian Pitz BMO Capital Raises Market Perform $475.00 $450.00
Brad Erickson RBC Capital Maintains Outperform $570.00 $570.00
Mark Kelley Stifel Raises Buy $590.00 $550.00
Youssef Squali Truist Securities Raises Buy $570.00 $535.00
Shyam Patil Susquehanna Raises Positive $600.00 $550.00
Doug Anmuth JP Morgan Raises Overweight $610.00 $480.00
Mark Mahaney Evercore ISI Group Raises Outperform $600.00 $550.00
Ken Gawrelski Wells Fargo Raises Overweight $647.00 $625.00
Lloyd Walmsley UBS Raises Buy $635.00 $630.00
Colin Sebastian Baird Raises Outperform $530.00 $500.00
Ronald Josey Citigroup Raises Buy $580.00 $550.00
Brent Thill Jefferies Raises Buy $600.00 $565.00
Barton Crockett Rosenblatt Raises Buy $643.00 $562.00
Thomas Champion Piper Sandler Raises Overweight $575.00 $545.00
Brian Nowak Morgan Stanley Raises Overweight $575.00 $550.00
Justin Post B of A Securities Raises Buy $563.00 $550.00
Jason Helfstein Oppenheimer Raises Outperform $615.00 $525.00
Eric Sheridan Goldman Sachs Raises Buy $555.00 $522.00
Andrew Boone JMP Securities Maintains Market Outperform $525.00 $525.00
Scott Devitt Wedbush Maintains Outperform $570.00 $570.00
Mark Shmulik Bernstein Raises Outperform $575.00 $565.00
Jason Helfstein Oppenheimer Raises Outperform $525.00 $500.00
Shweta Khajuria Wolfe Research Announces Outperform $620.00 -
John Blackledge TD Cowen Raises Buy $600.00 $530.00
Ken Gawrelski Wells Fargo Raises Overweight $625.00 $593.00
Rob Sanderson Loop Capital Maintains Buy $550.00 $550.00

Key Insights:

  • Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Meta Platforms. This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.
  • Rating: Analyzing trends, analysts offer qualitative evaluations, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Meta Platforms compared to the broader market.
  • Price Targets: Analysts navigate through adjustments in price targets, providing estimates for Meta Platforms's future value. Comparing current and prior targets offers insights into analysts' evolving expectations.

Understanding these analyst evaluations alongside key financial indicators can offer valuable insights into Meta Platforms's market standing. Stay informed and make well-considered decisions with our Ratings Table.

Stay up to date on Meta Platforms analyst ratings.

Get to Know Meta Platforms Better

Meta is the largest social media company in the world, boasting close to 4 billion monthly active users worldwide. The firm's "Family of Apps," its core business, consists of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. End users can leverage these applications for a variety of different purposes, from keeping in touch with friends to following celebrities and running digital businesses for free. Meta packages customer data, gleaned from its application ecosystem and sells ads to digital advertisers. While the firm has been investing heavily in its Reality Labs business, it remains a very small part of Meta's overall sales.

Unraveling the Financial Story of Meta Platforms

Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization is above the industry average, indicating that it is relatively larger in size compared to peers. This may suggest a higher level of investor confidence and market recognition.

Revenue Growth: Meta Platforms displayed positive results in 3 months. As of 30 June, 2024, the company achieved a solid revenue growth rate of approximately 22.1%. This indicates a notable increase in the company's top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Communication Services sector, the company excelled with a growth rate higher than the average among peers.

Net Margin: Meta Platforms's net margin is impressive, surpassing industry averages. With a net margin of 34.46%, the company demonstrates strong profitability and effective cost management.

Return on Equity (ROE): Meta Platforms's ROE stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 8.79%, the company demonstrates effective use of equity capital and strong financial performance.

Return on Assets (ROA): Meta Platforms's ROA surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 5.94% ROA, the company effectively utilizes its assets for optimal returns.

Debt Management: Meta Platforms's debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average. With a ratio of 0.24, the company relies less on debt financing, maintaining a healthier balance between debt and equity, which can be viewed positively by investors.

The Basics of Analyst Ratings

Ratings come from analysts, or specialists within banking and financial systems that report for specific stocks or defined sectors (typically once per quarter for each stock). Analysts usually derive their information from company conference calls and meetings, financial statements, and conversations with important insiders to reach their decisions.

In addition to their assessments, some analysts extend their insights by offering predictions for key metrics such as earnings, revenue, and growth estimates. This supplementary information provides further guidance for traders. It is crucial to recognize that, despite their specialization, analysts are human and can only provide forecasts based on their beliefs.

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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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